M ± SD
§ PPO = Positive Problem Orientation, ‖ NPO = Negative Problem Orientation, ¶ RPS Rational Problem Solving, # ICS = Impulsive Careless Style, ** ACS = Avoidance Coping Style, * = Fisher’s exact test. a,b,c = scheffe
A Pearson’s correlation was used to identify the correlation between general characteristics, self-leadership, goal commitment, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates with the experience of simulated practice training and the result shows that there was a positive correlation between problem-solving abilities and the variables of critical thinking (r = 0.54, p < 0.01), goal commitment (r = 0.47, p < 0.01), and self-leadership (r = 0.43, p < 0.05). For general characteristics, a positive correlation was observed in major satisfaction (r = 0.29, p < 0.01) and personal relationships (r = 0.21, p < 0.01; Table 3 ).
Correlations Between Problem-solving abilities and Other Variables in Participants (N = 260).
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | ||||||||||||
2 | 0.43 * | 1 | |||||||||||
3 | 0.47 * | 0.35 * | 1 | ||||||||||
4 | 0.54 * | 0.60 * | 0.35 * | 1 | |||||||||
5 | −0.06 | 0.01 | −0.00 | 0.05 | 1 | ||||||||
6 | 0.13 * | 0.03 | 0.06 | 0.05 | −0.31 * | 1 | |||||||
7 | 0.08 | 0.05 | −0.05 | 0.03 | −0.56 * | 0.34 * | 1 | ||||||
8 | −0.16 * | −0.15 * | −0.03 | −0.08 | 0.06 | −0.04 | −0.03 * | 1 | |||||
9 | 0.21 * | 0.20 * | 0.13 * | 0.25 * | −0.04 | −0.10 | −0.04 * | −0.17 * | 1 | ||||
10 | −0.09 | 0.01 | −0.08 | 0.01 | 0.06 | −0.03 | −0.16 | −0.05 | 0.11 | 1 | |||
11 | 0.29 | 0.36 | 0.24 * | 0.29 * | −0.29 * | 0.20 * | 0.22 * | −0.04 * | 0.29 * | −0.09 * | 1 | ||
12 | −0.16 * | −0.15 * | −0.12 * | −0.13 * | 0.08 | 0.03 | −0.15 * | 0.05 | 0.02 * | 0.01 * | 0.00 | 1 | |
13 | −0.01 | −0.19 * | −0.07 | −0.05 | 0.05 | −0.02 | −0.03 | 0.06 * | −0.07 | 0.04 | −0.17 | 0.10 | 1 |
* p < 0.05. 1. Problem Solving Skills, 2. Self-Leadership, 3. Goal Commitment, 4. Critical Thinking, 5. University, 6. Age, 7. Grade, 8. Religion, 9. Interpersonal, 10. Academic Achievement, 11. Major Satisfaction, 12. Leadership Training Experience, 13. Leadership Training Needs.
To identify the influential factors on the problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates with the experience of simulated practice training, the variables that showed significance difference of p < 0.5 in relation to the subjects’ general characteristics were designated as potential influential factors. These variables were self-leadership, goal commitment, critical thinking, age, religion, personal relationships, major satisfaction, and leadership training experience. A multiple regression analysis was conducted and the results were as follows: For the analysis, the general characteristics of the subjects’ age, having or not having a religious belief, having a good or not good personal relationships, and being satisfied or unsatisfied about the major were processed as dummy-coded variables. First, as a result of testing the assumptions of regression analysis, it was found that all of them were satisfied.
Having a religious belief, major satisfaction, goal commitment, and critical thinking were observed to be significant influential factors on problem-solving abilities. The results were as follows: critical thinking (β = 0.36) and goal commitment (β = 0.28). Self-leadership, age, personal relationships, and leadership training experience showed no significance, with the value of p > 0.05. The regression equation used to analyze the influential factors showed the following results: R = 0.65, R 2 = 0.42, modified R 2 = 0.41, F = 23.17, p < 0.01, and Durbin–Watson = 1.97. The Durbin–Watson value was 1.97 and close to 2, ensuring the independence of error, and the explanatory power was 41%. The tolerance limit was 1 or below and the variance inflation factor (VIF) was lower than 10, showing no problem for multi-collinearity ( Table 4 ). Next, as a result of analyzing influence using Cook’s D statistics, there was no more than 1.0 discrete in 260 subjects. Following a result of residual analysis, linearity of the model, normality of the error term, and homoscedasticity were confirmed.
The Influencing Factors on the Problem-Solving Abilities (N = 260).
Variable | B | SE | β | t | Tolerance | VIF | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Self-Leadership | 0.24 | 0.31 | 0.05 | 0.78 | 0.428 | 0.56 | 1.75 |
Goal Commitment | 1.09 | 0.20 | 0.28 | 5.41 | 0.001 | 0.82 | 1.20 |
Critical Thinking | 2.08 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 5.76 | 0.001 | 0.59 | 1.68 |
Age | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.07 | 1.38 | 0.166 | 0.92 | 1.08 |
Religion | 0.46 | 0.21 | 0.10 | 2.13 | 0.034 | 0.94 | 1.05 |
Interpersonal | 0.02 | 0.24 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.932 | 0.87 | 1.13 |
Major Satisfaction | 0.51 | 0.24 | 0.11 | 2.09 | 0.038 | 0.78 | 1.25 |
Leadership Training Experience | −0.33 | 0.22 | −0.07 | −1.50 | 0.135 | 0.95 | 1.04 |
R = 0.65, R = 0.43, Adjusted R = 0.41 F = 23.17, < 0.01, Durbin–Watson = 1.97 |
SE = Standard Error, VIF = Variance Inflation Factor.
Nursing education and training must provide a learning environment that reflects actual practice and enables students to set up alternative measures to solve learning problems, search and obtain required data, and equip themselves with problem-solving abilities. However, the traditional top-down education systems have limitations in teaching such practical skills and are inadequate to prepare students for many challenges in the field [ 7 ]. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the self-leadership, goal commitment, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates with the experience of simulated practice training and to obtain basic data to improve the quality of simulated practice training.
The results of the study are similar to the previous studies; an average mean of 3.14 points for problem-solving skills, 3.36 points for problem-solving orientation, and 2.98 points for problem-solving abilities [ 22 ]. This suggests that nursing undergraduates evaluated their problem-solving abilities to be of intermediate level and perceived themselves as an intermediate-level problem solver. For sub-categories, the positive problem orientation showed the highest point, followed by rational problem-solving and evasive style. This implies that nursing undergraduates showed a comparatively positive emotional state when faced with problems, but had a tendency to evade problems for as long as possible rather than confront them. According to the study by Cha et al. [ 22 ], nursing undergraduates who believed they were ineffective problem-solvers tended to imagine more hardships than there actually were, when faced with problems. To address this problem, the study also stressed out the need for measures to support nursing undergraduates to experience various situations and respond in objective, rational, and cognitive manners. Problem-solving abilities refer to a process of making decisions using effective problem-solving strategies based on one’s knowledge and are regarded as very important skills for professional nurses. A study by Yang [ 23 ] stated that the current nursing education and training courses provide content and methods that are not effective in teaching nursing undergraduates about the understanding or skills of the problem-solving process, and results in many undergraduates experiencing hardships when faced with various challenges in the clinical field. As insufficient training on practice leads to a decline in the clinical practice capability of new nurses after graduation; therefore, various teaching methods should be applied to enhance students’ problem-solving abilities and to enable nursing undergraduates to solve problems in a positive, active, and rational manner.
The difference in problem-solving abilities according to the general characteristics was partially significant for grades, personal relationships, and academic grades. The major satisfaction exhibited significant differences in all sub-categories. For positive problem orientation and rational problem-solving, the subjects with a greater major satisfaction showed a higher level of problem-solving skills. For negative problem orientation and impulsive/careless style, subjects with less major satisfaction showed a higher point. These results are consistent with the results of another study [ 24 ] on critical thinking disposition, problem-solving ability, and clinical competence of nursing students in that the subjects with a lower major satisfaction had lower problem-solving skills. This means that the subjects with a greater major satisfaction had more effective, intellectual, and creative problem-solving abilities than those with less major satisfaction. This is believed to be due to factors such as academic achievement, active attitude toward problem-solving, and such, according to their level of major satisfaction.
The influential factors for problem-solving abilities were goal commitment and critical thinking. Although the general characteristics of age, satisfaction with nursing major, and personal relationships showed correlations with problem-solving skills, no significant result was observed in the regression analysis. In a study by Aubé et al. [ 25 ], a virtual management project was implemented for undergraduates to examine the data provision and goal commitment. The results showed that subjects with a higher goal commitment had a higher problem-solving performance. The study also stated that subjects could develop actual capabilities required in the field only by having a deep understanding of situations and that they could acquire problem-solving abilities required in the field by committing to the situation not as an observer, but as a learner. Therefore, to enhance problem-solving skills, various programs should be developed and implemented to improve students’ goal commitment. In addition, team projects or action-based learning programs should be implemented to promote interactions between different learning programs and enhance students’ commitment to the study. In this way, the programs may enhance the problem-solving abilities of students by motivating them.
According to the study by Han and Park [ 26 ], greater critical thinking leads to higher problem-solving skills, which in turn enhances one’s confidence in problem-solving and improves the problem-solving skills. The study found that nursing undergraduates must develop critical thinking skills in order to explore problems in diverse aspects and seek solutions in a discreet manner. Training using simulators is an effective educational method as it motivates students’ learning and provides direct learning effects through simulated activities. Furthermore, it enhances the students’ critical abilities and allows them to experience the outcomes of their clinical intervention, as well as to share with other students and reflect on their experience through de-briefing [ 10 ].
Tucker et al. [ 27 ] stated that problems can be solved through a regular method based on guidelines and algorithms, and that such guidelines and algorithms are the result of such efforts. To develop problem-solving skills, which is an essential quality for nurses, one must develop a strong goal commitment and critical thinking abilities. To this effect, nursing undergraduates should be subjected to various nursing situations and be able to establish their own goals and commitment. They should also develop an accurate understanding of situations and critical thinking abilities to accurately identify, analyze, consolidate, and utilize data. To this effect, various simulated practice trainings, action-based learning, and problem-solving-oriented teaching programs, which support a natural learning process through a repetitive process, should be implemented to have learners actively engage in learning and develop a sense of commitment as well as critical thinking.
This study suggests that, while self-leadership showed no significant impact on problem-solving skills, it had impact on the problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates [ 28 , 29 ]. It was also suggested that self-leadership affected the goal commitment, which impacted the problem-solving abilities and improved it. This was due to the fact that not all nursing undergraduates exercised self-leadership and the level of self-leadership varied according to the individuals’ ability, environmental factors, function, and task structure [ 17 ]. Self-leadership involves a behavior strategy and cognitive strategy. Nursing students need to be committed to this process to solve problems and must put efforts to address problems on their own in order for their problem-solving abilities to develop. To enhance problem-solving skills, they must be committed to achieving their goals. Educational and training programs should be developed and implemented to provide nursing students with circumstances in which they are able to exercise self-leadership and in which they are encouraged to develop self-leadership skills.
This study holds significance in that it suggests the need for the development and implementation of various programs involving simulated practice training to enhance the problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates. It also suggests the need for measures to make students set their own goals and improve the level of their goal commitment, as well as the fact that the use of self-leadership may enhance the effectiveness of the process. Furthermore, it suggests the possible synergetic effects on developing critical thinking abilities by allowing students to build critical curiosity over questions they face by experiencing various programs. On the other hand, this study had limitations in that the scope of sample was limited to nursing undergraduates with the experience of simulated practice training at certain universities in Seoul city who agreed to participate in the study, suggesting that the study results should not be used for generalization. In addition, there are limitations to defining the correlation in that a cross-sectional study method was used in which the cause and outcome variables of the collected data were measured at the same time point for analysis.
This study was conducted to identify the relationship between the self-leadership, goal commitment, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates with the experience of simulated practice training. The multiple regression analysis results show that the variables of goal commitment and critical thinking had a significant impact on the nursing undergraduates’ problem-solving abilities (F = 23.17, p < 0.01), with the explanatory power of 41%. In order to enhance the problem-solving abilities of nursing undergraduates, various education programs which involve discussions with simulated training on practice to demonstrate a step-by-step approach to problematic situations, an establishment of hypothesis, and team cooperation must be developed and implemented [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. At this stage, measures are required to encourage students to set up their own goals and enhance goal commitment; the effectiveness is expected to increase if the process involves self-leadership. In addition, there may be synergetic effects from students participating in various programs, through training and classes, and developing questions and critical thinking as well as curiosity. Based on the study results, the following suggestions are made. There is a need for repetitive studies on nursing undergraduates and professional nurses under various circumstances and on self-leadership, which was explained as a parameter for problem-solving skills. In addition, a comprehensive program must be developed in which simulated practice training involves not only enhancing the learners’ problem-solving abilities and critical thinking, but also developing self-leadership and goal commitment.
This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (No. 2017R1A2B4008496). It was also funded by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) through the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: HI18C1317). The funding agencies had no role in the study design, the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, the writing of the report, or the decision to submit the article for publication (PI: WJ Hwang).
(1) H.H.J.: Study conception and design, data collection, data analysis, and interpretation, and writing the manuscript. (2) W.J.H.: Study conception and design, development of design, drafting of the article, supervision, and writing of the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
For the bioethics and safety of study subjects, this study was conducted after deliberation by the Institutional Review Board of Kyung Hee University and the approval (No: KHSIRB-14-059(EA)) was obtained.
Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Conflicts of interest.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Home » Degrees » RN to MSN » Registered Nurse to Master of Science in Nursing in Administrative Leadership in Nursing » How Leaders Approach Problem-Solving
No environment is free from problems. But, some require more creative solutions than others.
Healthcare, in particular, presents almost unlimited opportunities for things to go wrong — both in terms of patient care and inter-staff/intra-staff relationships. The problems present within healthcare settings are often a matter of life and death.
It takes effective leadership to keep all issues to a minimum and patient safety remains a priority.
If we think about the great leaders throughout time, they share a few common characteristics. Specific to nurse leaders, Indeed.com lists the following as core qualities for leaders:
Another valuable quality in leadership is being proactive in problem-solving. Good leaders handle issues as they arrive. They are capable of “putting out fires,” and that’s important. Yet, great leaders anticipate problems before they come to a head.
While some of the above resonates as more intuitive, emotional intelligence — as opposed to procedural — can be learned. Of course, there are practical skills nurse leaders need to develop as well.
Examples of these skills are healthcare finance and economics. Mastering budgets and efficiently allocating resources is important for nurse leaders. Nurses also need to know how to communicate financial demands to upper administration.
The online Registered Nurse (RN) to Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Administrative Leadership program from Northeastern State University (NSU) dedicates a course to heightening nurses’ skills and knowledge surrounding this responsibility.
NSU’s program also includes a course titled Organizational and Systems Management in Nursing. The course description states that nurses will learn about “contemporary influences, theories, principles, and functional strategies related to management/administration and organizational systems at the micro, meso, and macrosystem levels.”
While nurse leaders don’t necessarily need to be experts in human resources, it’s a substantial knowledge base. Human resources knowledge is especially relevant given the persistence of lateral and horizontal violence (LHV) within the nursing profession. The World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses and Public Services International have recognized this issue as a significant global public health priority.
Just how dangerous is LHV to nursing? A study published by Nurse Management describes LHV as: “all acts of meanness, hostility, disruption, discourtesy, backbiting, divisiveness, criticism, lack of unison, verbal or mental abuse, and scapegoating. [These] behaviors taint healthcare organizations; cause irreparable harm to workplace culture; breakdown team communication; and severely impact the quality of the care provided, thereby jeopardizing patient safety.”
With a solid leadership foundation, nurses can handle toxic behaviors that damage the work environment. In doing so, they change the workplace culture and guiding others to follow in their footsteps.
Perhaps the greatest responsibility of a nurse leader is to empower those in their charge. John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
Northeastern State University recognizes empowerment as an essential skill. In the Leadership Development for the Advanced Nursing Professional course, students learn to “effectively manage change, empower others, and influence political processes.”
It takes much more than “putting in your time” to become an effective leader. Nurses might rise through the ranks based on experience, but are they actually effecting change in the nursing profession? Unless they possess a robust leadership skill set, the answer is likely no. So, what kind of leader do you want to be?
Learn more about Northeastern State University’s online RN to MSN in Administrative Leadership program .
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Problem-solving and effective communication are essential skills for daily nursing duties. Despite several studies highlighting those concepts, few examined the relationship between these concepts among nursing students. This study aimed to investigate undergraduate nursing students' problem-solving and communication skills.
A cross-sectional correlational design was used. A sizeable convenient sample of 489 undergraduate nursing students was recruited from six nursing schools in Jordan. Data were collected using an online self-administered survey. The Arabic version of the Problem-Solving Inventory and a translated version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale were used. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data.
The sample included 64.4% females. The mean total score of the problem-solving scale was 96.63 (SD=16.99). Gender, considering self as an initiative person, and negative attitude toward communication were significant negative predictors, while positive attitude toward communication was a positive predictor of nursing students' problem-solving skills.
Educational programs that improve nursing students' attitudes toward communication and mental health courses that focus on positive personality traits are needed to improve nursing students' problem-solving skills.
The results indicated a moderate level of problem-solving skills, a high level of positive attitudes toward communication skills, and a low level of negative attitudes toward communication skills among undergraduate nursing students.
Nurses work in a highly complex and unpredictable environment, where they face changes in patients' needs and work circumstances. They must retain adequate problem-solving abilities to determine the most suitable resolutions to the stressful situations they experience through their day-to-day work [ 1 , 2 ]. Problem-solving is a critical part of the nursing daily working duties. When encountering a problem, nurses have to apply their intellectual and cognitive abilities to examine and recognize the situation and construct a proposed solution supported by evidence [ 3 , 4 ].
Problem-solving proficiency is an intellectual and behavioral process requiring an advanced level of questioning that can help the nurse analyze the situation, suggest the most suitable solution, and apply it to solve the problem [ 5 ]. Therefore, problem-solving abilities are necessary for formatting, performing, and assessing nursing care [ 6 ], and this expertise can be boosted by academic education [ 7 ]. Education is the continuous development of individual and professional competency that prepares individuals to face daily life needs. This entails that the individuals be inspired and capable of constructing operative resolutions to their problems. Nursing students should learn to appraise the situations they encounter critically and apply nursing knowledge and skills to solve emerging problems effectively [ 8 ]. Problem-based learning (PBL) in nursing is a method of learning that enhances nursing students' abilities to utilize nursing theories in clinical practice through active involvement, problem-solving, and critical thinking. It requires nursing learners to use their knowledge and skills in new situations to achieve their goals [ 9 ].
Nursing students' acquisition of problem-solving skills is impeded by many factors, such as gender, personality traits, and the opportunities to practice problem-solving skills [ 10 - 12 ]. It is essential to exercise problem-solving by gathering information and producing knowledge regarding the problems [ 4 ]. Therefore, nursing students must identify the significance of communication skills and obtain sufficient capabilities in communication during their education process [ 4 ]. Communication is the process of information generating and exchanging between two or more individuals, which is crucial for nurses to provide high-quality and safe healthcare services to patients. Moreover, communication skills are essential to empower nurses to present their knowledge and exhibit it in practice [ 13 ]. Previous studies indicated that good communication skills are linked to nursing students' problem-solving abilities [ 1 , 14 ].
Studying problem-solving and communication skills among nursing students will provide an attempt to offer a better understanding of both problem-solving abilities and communication skills, which will provide an opportunity to enhance nursing education. Although some studies investigated the relationship between nursing students' communication skills and problem-solving skills, this relationship has not been adequately addressed [ 14 ]. Therefore, this study aimed (1) to determine the problem-solving abilities and communication skills of undergraduate nursing students and (2) to identify predictors of the problem-solving skills of undergraduate nursing students.
A cross-sectional correlational design was used.
The target population in this study was undergraduate nursing students enrolled in the nursing program. The number of nursing students in Jordan in 2020 -2021 was 8983 [ 15 ]. The sample size was calculated using Raosoft (sample size calculator), with a margin error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. The minimum required sample size was 368 nursing students. A convenient sampling technique was used to recruit nursing students from six nursing schools in Jordan from April 2021 to September 2021. The inclusion criteria included students enrolled in the nursing program from all academic years.
Data were collected using an online self-administered survey. Google forms were used to create the online survey. Target universities' websites and social media groups were used to provide the questionnaire link for the target population. Networking and snowballing techniques were used to include students. Further, the contact details of the researchers were provided to participants in case they had any questions.
Ethical approval was obtained from the Scientific and Research Committee at the Faculty of Nursing, Al-Ahliyya Amman University. Also, permissions from the tool developers were obtained before data collection started. Students who agreed to participate in the study were asked to check the consent statement before starting the survey. The participation was voluntary, and students were informed that they had the right to withdraw from the study without any consequences.
Socio-demographic variables included ten questions about age, gender, marital status, academic year, previous hospital clinical experience for bridging students, initiative, and previous hospital training.
The Arabic version of the Problem-Solving Inventory (PSI) was used to measure problem-solving skills [ 16 ]. It is a Likert-type self-assessment questionnaire consisting of 35 items (3 filler items) measuring the individual's self-perception regarding his/her problem-solving skills. The PSI consists of three subscales: Problem-Solving Confidence (PSC), Approach-Avoidance Style (AAS), and Personal Control (PC). The PSC subscale (11 items) assesses self-confidence and belief in the ability to solve problems effectively ( e.g. , “I make decisions and I am happy with them later.”). The AAS subscale (16 items) assesses approaching versus avoiding problems ( e.g. , “Even though I work on a problem, sometimes I feel like I am groping or wondering, and I am not getting down to the real issue.”). The PC subscale (5 items) assesses the degree of self-control ( e.g. , “I have a systematic method for comparing alternatives and making decisions.”). The PSI is scored using a 6-point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree (1) to strongly disagree (6). The possible PSI score range is from 32 to 192. Low scores on the PSI reflect a positive self-appraisal of problem-solving abilities. The Arabic version showed an excellent internal consistency level of .89 [ 16 ].
The Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) was used to collect students’ attitudes about communication skills learning developed by Rees, Sheard, and Davies [ 17 ]. The scale consists of two subscales: The Positive Attitude Scale (PAS) and the Negative Attitude Scale (NAS). Each subscale has 13 items using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 'strongly agree' (1) to 'strongly disagree' (5). The possible scores for each subscale range from 13 to 65. Higher scores of the subscale indicate stronger positive or negative attitudes toward communication skills. The English version of the CSAS was translated into Arabic by two independent bilingual nursing professors. Both professors were fluent in both Arabic and English. Then, the CSAS was back-translated into English by another professor specializing in translation. The translated version was evaluated by four nursing experts who have experience in tool translation and validation. The goal of the translation process was to produce an Arabic version of the CSAS with items that were equivalent in meaning to the original English version [ 18 ].
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 was used to analyze the data [ 19 ]. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, mean, and standard deviation, were calculated to describe demographics, including age, gender, marital status, and other defining characteristics of the students. In addition, range, mean and standard deviation were calculated for the PSI and its three subscales, the PAS and the NAS subscales. Two-step multiple linear regression was used to identify predictors of problem-solving skills. All assumptions of this analysis were met, and multicollinearity was tested. Alpha level was set at 0.05.
A total sample of 489 nursing students participated in the study. The students' average age was 22 years (SD=3.76) and ranged from 18 to 43. The sample included 64.4% females. Most of the sample (83.6%) considered themselves initiative persons. Of the study sample, 71.6% received training in a hospital see Table 1 .
The mean score for the problem-solving scale was 96.63 (SD=16.99). PSC subscale mean score was 31.87 (SD=9.54), the PC subscale mean score was 17.21 (SD=3.66), and the AAS subscale mean score was 47.54 (SD=8.98). The PAS subscale mean score was 50.71 (SD=11.49), and the NAS subscale mean score was 35.06 (SD=9.26) (Table 2 ).
Two-step multiple hierarchal linear regression was generated to assess predictors of nursing students' problem-solving skills, controlling for selected demographics (Table 3 ). The analysis showed that model 1, which included age, gender, and marital status as covariates, was significant (F = 4.36, p = 0.005) and explained 2% (R2 = .020) of the variance in problem-solving skills. In this model, gender was a significant negative predictor (p =.018), meaning male nursing students are expected to have significantly less problem-solving skills than female nursing students. In model 2, the covariates (academic year, previous clinical experience in hospitals, considering yourself an initiative person, previous training in the hospital during the nursing study, PAS, and NAS) were entered into the model. With these covariates, the model remained significant (F = 47.934, p < .001). The model explained 46.4% (R2 = .464) of the variance in problem-solving skills. In the second model, considering yourself an initiative person and PAS were significant negative predictors, while NAS positively predicted nursing students' problem-solving skills. The effect of gender in the second model attenuated and became insignificant.
- | |
Male | 173 (35.4) |
Female | 316 (64.4) |
- | |
Single | 426 (87.1) |
Married | 58(11.9) |
Divorced | 5(1.0) |
- | |
First-year | 99(20.2) |
Second-year | 103(21.1) |
Third-year | 160(32.7) |
Fourth-year | 127(26) |
- | |
Yes | 177(36.2) |
No | 312(63.8) |
- | |
Yes | 409(83.6) |
No | 17(3.5) |
May be | 63(12.9) |
- | |
Yes | 350(71.6) |
No | 139(28.4) |
Age | 22(3.76) |
Number of passed credit hours | 73.48(39.14) |
PSI total score | 48-150 | 96.63(16.99) |
PSC | 11-56 | 31.87(9.54) |
PC | 8-26 | 17.21(3.66) |
AAS | 24-74 | 47.54(8.98) |
PAS | 17-65 | 50.71(11.49) |
NAS | 16-61 | 35.06(9.26) |
Model | B | SE | Beta | P | - | B | SE | Beta | P |
Age | -.301 | .241 | -.067 | .212 | Age | -.026 | .203 | -.006 | .900 |
Gender | -3.841 | 1.615 | -.108 | .018 | Gender | .783 | 1.244 | .022 | .529 |
Marital status | -3.025 | 2.433 | -.067 | .214 | Marital status | -1.217 | 1.836 | -.027 | .508 |
- | - | - | - | - | Academic year | .116 | .666 | .007 | .862 |
- | - | - | - | - | previous clinical experience in hospitals | .378 | 1.244 | .011 | .761 |
- | - | - | - | - | considering yourself an initiative person | -1.724 | .853 | -.069 | .044 |
- | - | - | - | - | previous training in the hospital during the nursing study | -.083 | 1.481 | -.002 | .955 |
- | - | - | - | - | PAS | -.813 | .050 | -.550 | < .001 |
- | - | - | - | - | NAS | .612 | .063 | .333 | < .001 |
This study investigated predictors of problem-solving skills of undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional correlational design was used on a large convenient sample of 489 undergraduate nursing students from six nursing schools in Jordan. The results showed that nursing students have a moderate level of problem-solving skills. They reported high positive and low negative attitudes toward communication skills. Male nursing students and students with negative attitudes toward communication skills have significantly lower problem-solving skills. Nursing students who consider themselves initiative and who have positive attitudes toward communication skills have significantly higher problem-solving skills.
The levels of problem-solving skills in this study were consistent with prior studies in Turkey [ 4 , 20 ]. Another study conducted in Korea and included a convenience sample of 161 nursing students found that the total mean score for PSI was 119.23. Compared to the current study, nursing students in Jordan reported higher problem-solving skills [ 21 ]. A study conducted in Turkey examined the critical thinking and problem-solving skills of 93 nursing students. The study found that the mean total score of PSI was 87. 55(SD=2.65) and 86.32(SD=2.50) in two groups of nursing students [ 22 ]. In addition, a study conducted in Iran that included 322 undergraduate nursing students found that the mean score of PSI was 89.52 (SD=21.58) [ 23 ]. Compared to the current study, nursing students in Jordan reported lower problem-solving skills.
Nursing students in the current study reported high positive and low negative attitudes toward communication skills. Another study was conducted in Turkey included 170 nurses and 413 students studying at the nursing school. The study found that both groups had moderately good communication [ 24 ]. Another study conducted with 246 nursing students in Turkey found that nursing students reported moderate communication skills of 77.325(SD=11.33) [ 4 ]. A Finnish study was conducted to examine the effect of a pilot communication skills course on second-year medical students. Using the same tool as in this study, Koponen, Pyörälä & Isotalus [ 25 ] found that the median PAS and NAS scores before the course were 45 and 31, respectively. In another study in Spain, PAS and NAS mean scores were examined in a group of first-year medical and nursing students. The results showed that PAS and NAS mean scores were 51.43 and 23.05, respectively [ 26 ]. Compared to these results, nursing students in the current study had a comparable PAS mean score; however, these students had higher negative attitudes toward communication skills.
The female gender predicted better problem-solving skills than the male gender. On the contrary, Koc et al . [ 20 ] found that the problem-solving skills of male students were higher than those of female students, while no significant differences were found based on gender in other studies [ 4 , 21 , 23 ]. The finding that female students showed better problem-solving skills might be explained in a cultural context as women in the Arab culture face several challenges in the workplace. Despite the higher enrollment rates of females in Jordanian universities, the male-dominant community demands females to make further efforts in their tasks to prove themselves [ 27 , 28 ]. Nursing students who considered themselves to be initiative reported better problem-solving skills as being initiative is a personality trait that facilitates creative problem-solving [ 29 ]. In this study, positive attitudes toward communication predicted higher problem-solving abilities, while negative attitudes toward communication predicted lower problem-solving abilities of nursing students. Kim and Sim [ 1 ] found that communication skills significantly affected problem-solving skills among clinical nurses. In addition, communication skills enhance nurses' understanding of patients' conditions and their perception of professionalism. Another study that included undergraduate nursing students also found that good communication skills improve students' problem-solving abilities [ 14 ].
This study is not without limitations. First, the instruments used in this study were online self-administered questionnaires. Second, the cross-sectional design limited the investigation of causal relationships between study variables. Further research studies are needed to understand better how nursing students improve their problem-solving skills.
Several studies examined undergraduate nursing students' problem-solving and communication skills, but few were in Jordan. This was one of the very few studies that examined important concepts for nursing practice in Jordan. Developing communication and problem-solving skills in nursing students is an investment for the profession's future. The findings indicated the need for developing educational programs that improve nursing students' attitudes toward communication. In addition, the study showed an essential effect of a personality trait on problem-solving skills among nursing students. Implementing mental health courses that focus on positive personality traits is one of the approaches that can enhance nursing students' problem-solving skills.
The results indicated a moderate level of problem-solving skills, a high level of positive attitudes toward communication skills, and a low level of negative attitudes toward communication skills. Male gender and having higher negative attitudes toward communication skills were significant predictors of lower problem-solving skills while being an initiative having positive attitudes toward communication skills were significant predictors of higher problem-solving skills.
The ethical approval was obtained from the Scientific and Research Committee at the Faculty of Nursing, Al-Ahliyya Amman University.
No animals were used in this research. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of institutional and/or research committee and with the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki, as revised in 2013.
Informed consent was obtained from all participants.
STROBE guidelines were followed.
The details are available within the article.
The authors declare no conflict of interest financial or otherwise.
Declared none.
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This paper analyses the role of problem solving in nursing practice including the process, acquisition and measurement of problem-solving skills. It is argued that while problem-solving ability is acknowledged as critical if today's nurse practitioner is to maintain effective clinical practice, to date it retains a marginal place in nurse education curricula. Further, it has attracted limited empirical study. Such an omission, it is argued, requires urgent redress if the nursing profession is to meet effectively the challenges of the next decade and beyond.
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When it comes to patient care, there are many people who play active roles, but perhaps none as much as the nurse. Healthcare systems rely heavily on nurses of all educational levels for many reasons. Have you ever wondered why nurses are important to the healthcare system? I have been a nurse for more than 20 years, and I can tell you nurses are a vital part of successful healthcare systems. In this article, I will share 30 reasons why nurses are so important to the healthcare system and share some of my experiences with you. If you have ever questioned the need for, or importance of nurses, this article will help shed some light on why we need good nurses in every healthcare system.
Reason #1: nurses provide vital services, reason #2: nurses advocate for patients, reason #3: nurses are an excellent source of patient education, reason #4: nurses can specialize and provide care to specific patient populations, reason #5: nurses are the “backbone” of the healthcare system, reason #6: nurses are well-trusted, reason #7: nurses are great critical thinkers, reason #8: nurses make excellent leaders, reason #9: nurses play critical roles in fostering strong patient-provider relationships, reason #10: nurses are often the first to identify changes in patients, reason #11: nurses help advocate for changes in healthcare, reason #12: nurses are a great source of emotional support, reason #13: nurses contribute to advances in healthcare, reason #14: nurses are instrumental in health promotion and disease prevention, reason #15: nurses help improve the well-being of communities, reason #16: nurses know how to respond in emergency situations, reason #17: nurses help coordinate care, reason #18: nurses are great multitaskers, reason #19: nurses are awesome at solving problems, reason #20: nurses are often the main source of information in patient care, reason #21: nurses are versatile, reason #22: good nurses are quite resourceful, reason #23: most nurses seem to have a high level of endurance, reason #24: nurses are known for being selfless, reason #25: nurses are great at paying attention to even the smallest details, reason #26: nurses create safe environments for patients to receive care, reason #27: nurses are excellent communicators, reason #28: nurses have a way of helping patients feel at ease, reason #29: nurses contribute to research, reason #30: some nurses can become primary care providers, my final thoughts, list of sources used for this article.
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Problem-solving in nursing is the vital foundation that makes up a nurse's clinical judgment and critical thinking skills. Having a strong problem-solving skillset is pertinent to possessing the ability and means to provide safe, quality care to a variety of patients. Nurses must rely on their clinical judgment and critical thinking skills to ...
Nurses can implement the original nursing process to guide patient care for problem solving in nursing. These steps include: Assessment. Use critical thinking skills to brainstorm and gather information. Diagnosis. Identify the problem and any triggers or obstacles. Planning. Collaborate to formulate the desired outcome based on proven methods ...
Communication skills, problem-solving ability, and understanding of patients' conditions were set as the parameters for determining causality. ... Thus, communication skills are important for nursing patients. They enable nurses to accurately understand patients' problems, serve (by forming patient trust) an important function in the ...
Background. Problem solving involves recognizing the difference between the problem solver's current state and the goal state to be reached, and resolving the obstacles that prevent them from achieving the goal [].Acquiring problem-solving ability based on judgment and critical thinking is an important element of nursing education [].Furthermore, the use of effective problem-solving ...
Successful nurses think beyond their assigned tasks to deliver excellent care for their patients. For example, a nurse might be tasked with changing a wound dressing, delivering medications, and monitoring vital signs during a shift. However, it requires critical thinking skills to understand how a difference in the wound may affect blood ...
s, and problem-solving, which requires analysis. Decision-makingfree flow of ideas is essential to problem-solving and decision-making becaus. it helps prevent preconceived ideas from controlling the process. Many decisions in healthcare are arrived at by group or teams rather than by the in. vidual, and this type of decision-making requ.
Problem-solving skills. Practicing your problem-solving skills can improve your critical-thinking skills. Analyze the problem, consider alternate solutions, and implement the most appropriate one. Besides assessing patient conditions, you can apply these skills to other challenges, such as staffing issues.
The following are examples of attributes of excellent critical thinking skills in nursing. 1. The ability to interpret information: In nursing, the interpretation of patient data is an essential part of critical thinking. Nurses must determine the significance of vital signs, lab values, and data associated with physical assessment.
Critical thinking is applied by nurses in the process of solving problems of patients and decision-making process with creativity to enhance the effect. It is an essential process for a safe, efficient and skillful nursing intervention. Critical thinking according to Scriven and Paul is the mental active process and subtle perception, analysis ...
This paper analyses the role of problem solving in nursing practice including the process, acquisition and measurement of problem-solving skills It is argued that while problem-solving ability is acknowledged as critical if today's nurse practitioner is to maintain effective clinical practice, to date it retains a marginal place in nurse education curricula Further, it has attracted limited ...
Continuous monitoring and providing high-quality care to patients is one of the main tasks of nurses. Nurses' roles are diverse and include care, educational, supportive, and interventional roles when dealing with patients' clinical problems [1, 2].Providing professional nursing services requires the cognitive skills such as problem-solving, decision-making and critical thinking, and ...
Strategies for Problem Solving. Nursing students will be expected to have or develop strong problem-solving skills. ... This is why it is important that you look at the problem from different perspectives. This provides a broad view of the situation that allows you to weed out factors that are not important and identify the root cause of the ...
Problem solving is a primary focus of the nursing practice and is of great importance to raising the quality of patient care (Kelleci & Gölbaşi, 2004; Yu & Kirk, 2008). Enhancing the problem-solving and empathy skills of nurses may be expected to facilitate their identification of the sources of problems encountered during the delivery of ...
The process includes five steps: assessment, diagnosis, outcomes/planning, implementation and evaluation. "One of the fundamental principles for developing critical thinking is the nursing process," Vest says. "It needs to be a lived experience in the learning environment.". Nursing students often find that there are multiple correct ...
An individual, through the application of critical-thinking skills, engages in problem solving and decision making in an environment that can promote or inhibit these skills. It is the nurse leader's and manager's task to model these skills and promote them in others. FiGURE 6-1 Problem-solving and decision-making model.
Some of the most important critical thinking skills nurses use daily include interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. Interpretation: Understanding the meaning of information or events. Analysis: Investigating a course of action based on objective and subjective data. Evaluation: Assessing the value of ...
To solve a problem you need to generate solutions. However, the obvious solution may not necessarily be the best. To generate solutions, a mixture of creative and analytical thinking is needed (Bransford, 1993). Creativity is about escaping from preconceived ideas that block the way to finding an innovative solution to a problem.
The results of the study are similar to the previous studies; an average mean of 3.14 points for problem-solving skills, 3.36 points for problem-solving orientation, and 2.98 points for problem-solving abilities . This suggests that nursing undergraduates evaluated their problem-solving abilities to be of intermediate level and perceived ...
mentorship. delegation. open-mindedness. forward-thinking. accessibility. Another valuable quality in leadership is being proactive in problem-solving. Good leaders handle issues as they arrive. They are capable of "putting out fires," and that's important. Yet, great leaders anticipate problems before they come to a head.
Several studies examined undergraduate nursing students' problem-solving and communication skills, but few were in Jordan. This was one of the very few studies that examined important concepts for nursing practice in Jordan. Developing communication and problem-solving skills in nursing students is an investment for the profession's future.
Abstract. This paper analyses the role of problem solving in nursing practice including the process, acquisition and measurement of problem-solving skills. It is argued that while problem-solving ability is acknowledged as critical if today's nurse practitioner is to maintain effective clinical practice, to date it retains a marginal place in ...
REASON #2: Nurses Advocate for Patients. Perhaps one of the most important roles of nurses is being a patient advocate. Nurses advocate for the best interests of patients in many ways. At times, you may speak on behalf of a patient by communicating their wishes to other team members or the attending physician.
Problem-solving is an essential skill contributing greatly to effective nursing performance [10]. Problem-solving skills and knowledge-based decision-making are the expected behavior of nursing students [11]. Learning such skills should start at university [12,13]. This helps them efficiently apply theoretical knowledge acquired at university ...
Future careers are no longer about domain expertise or technical skills. Rather, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in employees are on the wish list of every big organization today ...